Arm sling



l. SANDERS April 29, 1952 ARM SLING 2 SHEETS-SHEET l Filed Aug. l2, 1949 i i# nu.

l d 1N VEN TOR.' (MZ Y/MIw/W/@ ATTORNEY l. SANDERS April 29, 1952 ARM SLING 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2 Filed Aug. 12, 1949 IN VEN TOR.' am,

ATTORN BY Mar/@f4 ...Ila 000.0 Q o i t t t a b .c -l0ll-b- .t 0 I n foo o 1....... ab .Q0 .Qa

Patented Apr. 29, 1952 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE ARM SLING Isador Sanders, Chicago, Ill.

Application August'lz; 1949, Serial No. 109,908

(Cl. 12S-94) 4 claims. l

This invention relates to an arm sling or sup port and it is an object of this invention to produce a new and improved arm support, the entire Weight of which is comfortably carried by the opposite shoulder.

Another object is to produce an arm sling or support which provides a comfortable arm rest while giving rigid support as required while the ailing arm is mending.

The further object is to produce an arm sling or support which is simple and durable in construction, easily and quickly adjusted into positionj of use, sufficiently flexible without modification for use by variously sized persons, and which may be worn with ordinary apparel to remain substantially concealed while in position of use.

These and other objects and advantages of this invention will hereinafter appear and for purposes of illustration but not of limitation, embodiments are shown in accompanying drawings in which:

Figure 1 is a side view of a person wearing an arm sling embodying features of this invention;

Figure 2 is a front View of the same person;

Figure 3 is a perspective View of an embodiment of an arm sling or support embodying features of this invention;

Figure 4 is a sectional view of the arm sling shown in Figure 3 in its assembled relation;

Figure 5 is an elevational view, partially in section, of the sling shown in Figu're 3;

Figure 6 is an enlarged detail view of the means for fastening the shoulder strap to the sling part;

Figure 7 is a perspective view of a modified form of an arm sling or support embodying features of this invention;

Figure 8 is a perspective View of still another modification shown in the assembled relation;

Figure 9 is a sectional elevational view of the arm sling shown in Figure 8, and

Figure 10 is a top view of the forward end portion of the sling shown in Figure as it appears when laid out flat.

The arm sling or support embodying features of this invention is constructed of a suitable textile material into the form of a trough having an elongated rectangular shaped bottom wall I9 enclosed on three sides with substantially perpendicular and upright side walls II and I2 respectively, and a back wall I3, all of which are stitched together along their meeting edges. The front end of the trough is open to permit the hand or forearm to extend therethrough when the sling is adjusted into position of use.

The bottom wall is provided with a pocket dened by spaced fabrics I4 and I5 sewn together along their edges and into the pocket there may be inserted a stiiening member It, such as a wooden slat, metal strip, plastic sheet, or heavy cardboard or the like, to give firm support to the arm positioned within the sling. A flap Il provided with a fastener I8 is affixed to the forward edge of one of the fabrics to enclose the reinforcing member I6 when inserted into position of use.

The sling is supported entirely by a shoulder strap I9, one end of which is secured as by stitching to the upper edge of the rear wall I3. The other forward end portion of the shoulder strap is provided with a number of longitudinally spaced snap fastener parts 20 arranged in pairs in end to end relation for engagement with cooperating snaps 2| and 22 arranged in the upper forward edge portion of the side walls II and I2 respectively.

The manner of affixing the shoulder strap across the rear wall I3 and the manner in which it encircles the shoulder opposite the arm being supported provides for a more desirable and more comfortable arrangement in that the entire load is borne by the opposite shoulder and the strain across the rear wall I3 automatically forms the sling portion into a well defined trough in which the arm 23 may rest with the elbow and the upper arm resting against the rear wall.

By the use of longitudinally spaced snaps 2D in the shoulder strap, the effective length of the strap may be varied to conform to that desired by the particular person. As shown in Figure '7, a number of securing snaps 2Ia and 22a, corressponding to the snaps 2| and 22 may be arranged in rearwardly spaced relation thereof for connection with the shoulder strap I9 in the assembled relation. This permits modification of the effective length of the sling to conform with various arm lengths. By these arrangements, one sling may be adapted for use with variously sized arms and persons, without modification.

Except for that portion through which the upper arm 23 extends from the sling, the upper edge portions of the side walls II and I2 may be brought together by a zipper 24, as shown in Figures 3 and 4, or the edges may be secured by snap fasteners 25, as shown in Figure 8 or by other suitable connecting means. Assembly to permit wearing of the sling with ordinary wearing apparel may be effected by slipping the arm to be supported into the trough and passing the shoulder strap I9 over the opposite shoulder. The side walls of the trough may then be joined by means of the zipper or other fastener and the thus enclosed arm may be inserted into the sleeve of the particular garment to be worn such as a jacket or suit coat. Then the fastener parts 20 in the forward end portion of the shoulder strap may be snapped into one of the pairs of fasteners 2l and 22 in the forward edge portion of the sling which extends from the sleeve of the jacket.

Further to conceal the identity of the sling, a forwardly extending portion of fabric 26 may be fixed along its rearward edge to the forward edge portion of the bottom wall I and adjacent portions of side walls II and I2 respectively. In the assembled relation, the projecting portion will appear as a shirt culf and the like buttoned by fastener means 2i.

From the foregoing description, it will be apparent that I have produced a new and improved arm sling or support which is comfortable to wear, which provides firm support of the ailing arm, which is iiexible to provide use by Various persons without extensive adjustment, which permits wear with outer garments substantially to conceal the fact that a sling is being worn and which may be easily mounted in a position of use when worn with or without an outer garment and with or without the assistance of another.

It may be understood that numerous changes may be made in the details of construction, arrangement and operation without departing from the spirit of the invention.

What is claimed is:

l. An arm sling comprising an arm receiving portion including a bottom wall, rear wall and side walls joined along their meeting edges, a shoulder strap secu-red at one end to the rear wall, fastening means on the other end portion of the shoulder strap and the forward end portion of the side walls for joining together in the mounted relation, a pocket in the bottom wall for insertion of a stiffening member, other fastening means in the upper edge portion of the side walls for` joining same along a major portion of their lengths but terminating before the rear wall to leave an arm opening when in the mounted relaticn, and an extension integral with the forward edge portion of the bottom wall and adjacent parts of the side walls and fastening members in the lateral end portions of said extension to appear as a cuff when in the mounted relation.

2. An arm sling comprising an arm receiving portion including a bottom wall and perpendicularly arranged rear wall and side walls all joined along their meeting edges, a shoulder strap secured, at one end across the upper edge of the rear wall, longitudinallyY spaced snap fastening parts on the other end of the shoulder' strap and cooperating snap, fastener parts on the upper forward edge portion of the side walls for joining the forward end of the arm receiving portion and for receiving the shoulder strap to vary the effective length of the strap in the assembled relation, fasteners along the upper edges of the side walls for joining same through a major portion of their length after the arm has been inserted to leave an arm opening adjacent the rear wall through which the arm may extend and whereby the straps may be attached to the fasteners in the upper edge of the side wall at any place along the forearm to vary the effective length thereof when in the mounted relation, and a pocket along the bottom wall for insertion of a stiffening member.

3. An arm sling as claimed in claim 2 in which the fasteners along the upper edges of the side walls are snap fasteners for attachment with the shoulder strap in the upper edge of the side wall at any place along the forearm portion to vary the effective length of the strap and forearm portion.

4. An arm sling comprising an arm receiving portion including a bottom wall, a perpendicularly arranged rear wall and side walls all joined along their meeting edges, a shoulder strap secured at one edge along the upper edge of the rear wall, snap fastener means spaced lengthwise along the forward portion of the shoulder strap, cooperating snap fastener members in the forward edge portion of the side wall members for joining same together with the snap fasteners of the shoulder strap to varythe eiective length thereof when in the assembled relation, other fasteners along the upper edge of the side walls for joining same through a majorl portion of their lengths except for a rear wall armhole portion through which the arm is adapted to' extend, a pocket along the bottom wall for insertion of a stiffening member, and a sleeve section integral with the forward edge portion of the bottom and side walls through which the handis adapted to extend when in the assembled relation.

ISADOR SANDERS.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 883,004 Dingman Mar. 24, 1908 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 507,282 GreatBritain June 13'l 1939 661,523' Germany .lune-2.0` 1938 

